Protect Your Own
by Little Webby
Summary: Dead ends aren't normal in investigations, but this isn't a normal investigation: MS. FIN
1. Dead End

Yes, this fic is finally finished and edited a few times! As ever, all feedback is very gratefully recieved. Happy Reading!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters or for that matter anything that belongs to 'Without a Trace'.

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72 Hours Missing

Wearily, Jack, Vivian, Martin and Danny sat round the table, tapping pens and staring at the board. On it was stuck Sam's picture and not so much as a lead except for the fact that she had disappeared three evenings ago now. No-one spoke as no words seemed suitable to the situation and nothing helpful could be said.

The team had, of course, taken it personally. They were like a family from which one member had been suddenly taken away so unexpectedly. And it was ripping them apart that they of all people, trained to find the missing and usually so successful at it, had found nothing, not a scrap. Of course, they tried to keep any negative thoughts to the very back of their minds, but there was always that lingering doubt that they didn't even know whether Sam was alive or not.

'Let's call it a day' Jack spoke with a combination of resignation and frustration, but with all the authority of a great leader. 'I want you to at least try to get some sleep. You never know, something might come up in the morning and I want everyone alert and ready for it if it does. There is nothing more we can do at the moment.'

Jack ran his hand through his hair as he watched his team get up, stretching and yawning and make their way towards the exit. They had tried their best, but at the moment their best simply wasn't good enough. He knew that they would all struggle to sleep that night, experience had taught him that it was nigh on impossible to stop the mind from replaying events and going through every detail time and time again, especially when the missing person one was one who you cared about and the case so close to your heart.

Martin went home immediately. He felt a deep and desperate need to simply be alone with his thoughts so that he could at least attempt to order them in some way. His mind was swimming with the complicated web of thoughts holding him under the water, leaving him gasping for air. No-one understood how Sam made him feel and how his heart was wrenched from his chest once he heard that she was the subject of their latest investigation. No-one shared the glances that they gave each other, the look that communicated so many feelings in an instant, and the same one that he now longed to be able to share with her just one more time.

Jack was proved right as Martin lay alone in bed that night. Thoughts of Sam filled his mind; the memories that they had shared together and the shared fear of the situation now. Somehow, just somehow, Martin knew that Sam was still alive, hanging on in there, fighting to the last. While he was in a warm bed and had the comfort of familiar surroundings he was scared for her, leaving him dreading the thought of how terrified Sam would be – even if he knew that she wouldn't admit it. His only comfort was that it was Sam in trouble and if anyone was able to get out of it, it would be her. She was a fighter, always had been, and he could almost sense every fibre in her body fighting harder than ever before at that very moment.

Vivian crept down her dimly lit landing. She had just spent the last hour just watching her son sleep and his chest rhythmically rise and fall. It was somewhat satisfying, reassuring and calming all in one, just what she needed. Vivian was never one to take cases home with her, but this was different. Not only was a close friend of hers in trouble but something simply was not right. She had never been a believer in the perfect crime; a criminal always left some clues and it was just a matter of finding them. Having found nothing after three whole days was simply unheard of. Unlikely as it was, Vivian knew that this was one case that was far deeper than it seemed and that Sam's life could well rest on them swimming to new depths….and fast.

Meanwhile, Sam was equally wide awake. Undiluted fear and adrenaline made sleep an impossibility, compounded with the pain and discomfort of her predicament. She prayed to every deity imaginable that her friends and colleagues were close to finding her, but knew deep down that this was unlikely – one key factor was always going to be against them….

To be continued………


	2. Suspicions

1 week missing   
  
Day and night were now irrelevancies. There was no difference between the two; no routine to follow during daylight hours and no hope of sleep when darkness made the small closet smaller still. Sam was well past the time when she tried to plan her escape, past the hope of rescue and past the tears and despair that came with the realisation of the hopelessness of her situation. She felt nothing; not the pain from her cuts, bruises and other injuries, not the hunger that came from days with little nourishment, not the weariness from sleep-deprivation and not an emotion in the world. Emotions didn't help, they only added to the pain.  
  
Meanwhile, Vivian's mind was reeling from the thought that had entered her mind. Why she hadn't thought of it before she didn't know, perhaps because it was simply unthinkable and because its consequences would have such a great effect on the lives of everyone who was so close to her. But, more importantly for the moment at least, she didn't know how to deal with the thought. She certainly couldn't deal with it alone but yet she couldn't share it. If she made what she had thought public knowledge she would either never recover from the social effects if she was incorrect or, if, as she feared, she was correct, then she would be putting Sam's life in even more danger. That was if she still had a life to be put in danger.  
  
Vivian desperately needed someone who she could trust. She had always trusted all her colleagues before but now she couldn't help but view them in a different light – as suspects. It was obvious really, with any normal case the work-place and love life were among the first things to be investigated. It just so happened with Sam that these two were the same thing and that there had seemed no need for her friends to investigate themselves. However, as far as Vivian was concerned, there were no other leads at all and an inside job would certainly go some way to explaining the seemingly perfect crime.  
  
But why? Why would Danny, Martin or Jack want to kidnap Sam – or worse? It simply seemed so out of character for any of them. Sure, they all felt the stresses of the job but the five of them had always been friends as well as colleagues – more so in some cases. Vivian knew about Jack and Sam's relationship, in her mind she couldn't understand how everyone else didn't seem to as they certainly weren't the most subtle of people. And there had always been some chemistry between Martin and Sam. Yet somehow Vivian was under the impression that it was more than that. She was astute enough to catch their glances to each other from across the room and the happiness that these glances seemed to cause. And Danny, well, people had commented about how he and Sam would be suited but she had never seen it and neither had seemed interested in being anything but friends.  
  
Vivian knew that she had to confide her thoughts with at least one of them. On the one hand they were all suspects, but on the other, if one of them was responsible it left two who weren't. Making a snap decision, Vivian decided that if she had to tell someone, it would be Martin. He was almost sick with worry and had been getting paler by the day. Somehow she knew that he was innocent and, anyway, why would he want to kidnap a friend and possibly lover when she was so obviously head-over-heals in love with him too.  
  
And so she walked casually over to his desk, where he was staring at a computer screen sipping a cup of coffee in an attempt to stay awake. 'Martin' she spoke softly but with obvious urgency. 'I think you and I should take a little walk outside.' Martin's eyes lit up with the prospect of a lead, even if it did sound somewhat ominous and swung round on his chair, taking hold of his jacket in the same movement.  
  
Within minutes the two were walking the streets of New York, deep in conversation. At first Martin wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't, believe that Vivian even suspected Jack or Danny of kidnapping Sam. But it didn't take long for him to realise that she did, indeed, have a very good point. They discussed all possible motives and any ideas that came into their heads for about half an hour before they found themselves back outside where they had started. Martin was just about to go inside when Vivian put a hand on his shoulder. 'I just have to ask you one question. Were you and Sam...well...an item?' At first Martin seemed rather taken aback by this question and his cheeks blushed slightly. He fidgeted with the back of his neck and looked down at the paving slabs below him as he replied, 'Yeah. I guess we were.'  
  
Vivian had guessed as much, but as far as she was concerned the more pressing question was had Danny or Jack? Just for an instant the thought came over her that she would ask Sam who had a knack for knowing exactly what other people did or didn't know and could read their emotions like a small child's first book. The irony of the situation, which strangely seemed to be shared by both Martin and Vivian as they made a final eye- contact before entering the building, certainly succeeded in strengthening their already strong resolve that they would find Sam whatever it took and whoever they had to go through to do it. 


	3. Interrogation

Back upstairs the atmosphere was icy cold. Conversation was kept to a minimum as everyone was content to do their own work and reluctant to share their thoughts. Surreptitiously, Vivian stood in her office, twiddling the phone chord around her finger while speaking in little more that a whisper. 'I need permission to take two officers in for questioning.....yes, yes, you did hear me right. Agents Malone and Taylor.....yes I know that this is unusual.......and yes, it is necessary. You do know that it is one of ours who is missing don't you? Thank you.'

Vivian exhaled deeply as she rested the phone back down in its cradle. She had done it - she had betrayed her friends to save a friend. Needing a moment to take in the situation, she leaned backwards in her chair and stared up at the whitewashed ceiling above. However, she only allowed herself a matter of seconds as the thought suddenly came to her that with every second that she was sitting there, it was potentially an extra second that Sam would be living through hell. That was if she was living at all.

With as much confidence as she could muster, Vivian strode out of her office and clearly looked over at Martin so that her signal could not be misinterpreted. The timing was as close to perfect as they could have hoped for as Jack was not going to be returning from a meeting in Washington for at least an hour or two. Danny was typing away furiously at his computer, obviously infuriated by the lack of success he was having at what he was doing.

Martin and Vivian walked together over to where he was working and Martin gently put a hand on his shoulder causing his colleague to turn around in alarm. He knew immediately that something was wrong and that even this unthinkable situation was becoming one heck of a lot worse. 'Danny' Vivian spoke gently but with firm authority in her voice, 'we need to take you in for questioning about Sam's disappearance.'

Danny stared at his friend in disbelief. To say that this was an unexpected set of events would have been an understatement and all he could do was look at Vivian with his mouth almost hanging wide open. Martin was cringing behind him but Vivian's resolve remained firm as she took Danny by the arm and led him into the interview room for questioning.

Martin stood in the far corner of the room, allowing Vivian to take control of the situation. To him, her professionalism was unbelievable as she seemed able to forget who she was questioning and why she was doing so. However, in reality her insides were churning up and it was all that she could do to stop herself from running out of the room and handing in her resignation.

'So Danny, where were you on the night of Tuesday 3rd June this year?' she asked.

'I worked late here.' He spoke slowly, trying to contain his anger, but at the same time spitting out his words. 'I needed to finish the paperwork of the Simon Marshall case and didn't leave the office until, I don't know, about ten.'

He knew what was coming next. It was going to be the usual lot of 'Can anyone confirm this? Where did you go afterwards? When did you last see Samantha Spade?' and so, before Vivian could even open her mouth again he gave the relevant information.

'There was no-one else actually in the office but Frank downstairs saw me leave and I'm sure that it's on the CCTV footage. I went straight home afterwards and ordered a pizza takeaway so I'm sure that the pizza delivery boy can confirm that I was at home at about eleven. And I last saw Sam at the same time as you did when she left the office earlier that evening. Satisfied?'

Vivian was completely taken aback and was on the brink of kicking herself for not checking a possible alibi before bringing Danny in for questioning. It was taking her a few seconds to regain her composure and, sensing this, Martin stepped in. 'Yeah, that's fine' he said. 'Sorry we had to put you through that. It's just procedure, that's all. Nothing personal.'

Danny was raging. 'You thought that I'd kidnapped Sam, didn't you?' he spat. 'Her disappearance is getting to me as much as it is you two. I would never kidnap one of my friends. Get real! I thought you two were two of the best but now I'm starting to wonder. Seriously though, why did you suspect me of all people?'

Danny's words were almost too much for his colleagues to bear. They had messed up, and didn't they know it. The least that they could do would be to offer an explanation as the first step towards reconciliation.

'We think that it's an inside job' explained Martin. 'It's the only explanation for us having no leads. On top of that there was, well....' He paused for an instant as he considered how to phrase his next point. 'There was stuff going on between Sam and myself. We thought, well, I don't know what we thought.'

Danny gave a wry smile at his flustered friend which warmed up the atmosphere in the room considerably. 'Have you got any other suspects then, other than me, whom you would like to share?' He did, of course, expect an answer in the negative and was startled when Vivian and Martin seemed to be communicating through eye-contact.

'What aren't you telling me?' he asked nervously, his face turning a deathly pale as he turned his eyes from Vivian to Martin and then back to Vivian. 'Who else do you suspect? You have to tell me, we are a team, remember.'

Martin shrugged his shoulders, implying that Vivian should tell all. 'We do have one other suspect,' she said, speaking slowly to ensure that she herself understood what she was saying. She paused for an instant as Danny's attentive gaze was fixed on her eyes. 'It's Jack.'


	4. Memories

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry that this part has taken so long in coming. I have really been trying to work on the constructive criticism received to the previous parts. I hope that you enjoy this slightly longer part. Before Chapter 5 I will be re-writing bits of the first 3 chapters in an attempt to improve them! Thanks for reading!

For the record, I still don't own any of the characters from Without a Trace so please don't sue me!

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'Jack will be returning within the next few hours' Vivian calculated. 'If we are going to do anything then we've got to plan it quickly and we've got to plan it now. Sam's life might depend on it…' she trailed off, her own words affecting her more than she had expected. 'Might I suggest that we carry out some surveillance first though, we don't want to be making false accusations. Any ideas?'

Vivian looked over guiltily at where Danny sat, twiddling his thumbs nervously with his eyes, still fiery, focussed on the ground. 'No', she thought, 'they wouldn't mess up like that again.'

The room fell silent, no-one from the depleted team wishing to speak up. The situation required a leader – a role that Jack himself always took with the others obedient followers – to organise a fool-proof plan while inspiring those involved to carry it out to the letter and to perform above their ability.

Martin sighed, desperate that it would not be him who plotted the downfall of his boss, his friend and his mentor but at the same time even more desperate not to lose the only lead they had in finding his lover.

'Ok, this is what we do..' Martin rose up from his seat and took massive control of the situation, writing on the white board behind him as he spoke. Within a matter of minutes a plan had been formulated, improved upon and noted by those involved. And by the time that Jack entered the room approximately an hour and a half later, all evidence that the meeting had ever taken place had been destroyed.

'Have we got any leads yet?' he asked while loosening his tie from around his neck. 'Absolutely nothing' Vivian replied, deliberately not taking her eyes away from the computer monitor on which she was working.

'Keep me posted,' Jack spoke over her shoulder, his voice distant and tone preoccupied. 'I'll be in my office if you need me.' With that, to the relief of both parties involved, he wandered to the other end of the room past Martin and Danny but with not even a word spoken.

Martin, in particular, was happy with this. His mind was skimming though memories as if searching for either a lead or a form of inspiration that could lead him to wherever Sam was. If one thing had become clear to him over the previous days it was that he never wanted to leave her side again.

FLASHBACK

'5……..4…….3……..2…….1……..Happy New Year!'

Fireworks were soon being set off all around the city amongst the annual drunken cheer. New Year - that time for new beginnings and the opportunity to finally dispel unwanted memories. New Year - that excuse for a party. New Year – that time when those who are suffering an inner turmoil and unbearable hurt have no choice but to force a smile, sing 'Auld Lang Syne' and party into the early hours with everyone else.

'BANG' – another New Year when Sam was once again surrounded by people but yet somehow alone.

'BANG' – another New Year where Sam knew that there was no point in resolutions because her life moved so quickly that even New Day resolutions couldn't be kept.

'BANG' – her first New Year which she had to share with a pain in her heart and a longing to be with a man with whom she never could be.

'Can I get you another drink?' a gentle voice asked from behind, causing her to re-surface from her thoughts and reapply her false smile.

'No thanks Martin, I'm going to head off in a minute anyway. I've got to, erm, be in the office in the morning to, erm, catch up on some paperwork,' she bluffed unconvincingly.

'They let you into the FBI with that lying ability?' he joked before his face turned to one of concern. 'At least let me walk you home so that you can tell me what's bothering you. I know something's up, maybe talking would help.'

Sam shrugged, suddenly overcome by uncertainty. Was it /that/ obvious that she wasn't enjoying the party? Should she let Martin walk her home, as a friend, of course, and at least tell him some of the things on her mind? Why was her heart suddenly beating in double-time and her cheeks glowing crimson? Was that Jack over there watching the two of them?

'Sounds as good an offer as I've had all evening,' Sam smiled, sincerely for the first time since she had arrived as Martin had helped ease her trench coat over her shoulders.

Outside the weather was typically chilly for the time of year and even such a substantial coat could not keep the cold out and shivers at bay. To begin with the two walked side by side in an awkward silence, neither prepared to make the first move and both unsure as to what words might be appropriate.

'Are you going to tell me what's up? I mean, you don't have to or anything but, well, you never know, it might help.' Martin tried, aware that the silence was giving both far too much time with their thoughts. He allowed his arm to slip gently around Sam as if to tell her that he was there for her but as much as an attempt to still her shivering body.

'Oh, you know, just New Years stuff. Stupid really, it's just that another year seems to be starting the same as every other year has ended,' Sam blushed, knowing that she hadn't quite revealed the full story but yet giving Martin at least as idea of what was going through her mind.

'Yeah, I know. It's not stupid at all,' Martin reassured his colleague and friend, aware that there was far more to it than she was letting on but knowing that it was a victory in itself that Sam had opened up at all. She had never really been the kind of person to let anyone into her innermost thoughts. Not even she knew why, just that it made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The journey continued in the original silence but the presence of Martin's arm around her seemed to settle any uneasiness that Sam had previously been experiencing. All too soon they were under a familiar street-light that by night would illuminate Sam's bedroom.

'My stop I guess' she spoke quietly as if it would delay the moment that they would have to part, aware that her head was now so close to Martin's that she could feel his breath against her cheeks. Soon, her lips were gently brushing against his. The lamplight highlighted his sparkling eyes and seemed to bounce off her blonde locks. To the casual observer they might well have appeared to be a drunken New Year's fling, to a nagging voice at the back of Sam's mind they might have been a couple that could never last when her thoughts were still so filled with Jack, but to everything and everyone that really mattered they were made for each other and this was clearly the start of something special.

'Martin. MARTIN.' Danny forced his friend to resurface from his lake of thoughts with a gentle tap on the arm. 'We've got to get going. Ready?'

Martin nodded, unsure in reality if he was or not but knowing that he was definitely more than ready to do anything that might at least bring him a little closer to Sam. It seemed so unfair that after so little time together that they were now once again separated but Martin knew that putting right injustices was certainly part of his job description. If ever he was going to put all his training and experience to good use, now was going to be the time. If ever the situation called for a hero, it was going to be him.

Danny glanced over at his colleague as the two left together. Sam's disappearance was affecting all of them, but no-one more so than Danny. His face was pale and visibly drained, his stride considerably shortened but his eyes reflected a grim determination. Even without Sam on the investigation Danny knew that if any case was going to be solved, it would be this one. No-one was giving up on Sam yet, he just prayed that Sam wasn't giving up on them either…


	5. Revelations

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Once again, sorry that this has been so long in coming! I hope that you think that it's been worth the wait! Thank you to everyone who has R&R-ed – it is greatly appreciated. I just hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I have done writing it!

DISCLAIMER: I still don't own anything other than what comes floating out of my own head!

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Sam drifted in and out of sleep, in and out of consciousness and in and out of reality. Her nightmares mingled with the present until the two were indistinguishable. She'd never imagined that it might all end like this; she'd never imagined that that her death might be so alone.

Meanwhile, Martin drummed his fingers impatiently against the dashboard. Night was beginning to triumph over day and he couldn't help but wonder 'what if.' What if he had worked late that night now over a week past? What if he had called Sam that evening as he had thought of doing? What if…?

'You couldn't have stopped this,' spoke Danny gently, knowing exactly what he was thinking. Martin smiled wearily, 'Yeah, I know.' It was times like these that meant that the two of them knew each other so well, hours of seemingly pointless surveillance. But this time, the surveillance didn't quite seem so pointless, this time they were fighting for more than a person whom they would never known was missing if they weren't in their specific line of work.

'C'mon, he's moving,' Danny spoke, starting up the engine as he did so. 'Let's see if he leads us to Sam.'

It took Jack all of five hundred metres worth of walking to realise that he was being followed. Years of experience of following people himself and knowing the people who seemed to be following you certainly helped. He sighed, he knew what was happening - it didn't take a genius to work it out. They thought that he had taken Sam. Thinking about it, he could see why and he was sure that he would think exactly the same thing in their position.

His mind worked at a frantic pace, the thoughts remarkably clear amidst the inner turmoil. What should have been a difficult decision turned out to be incredibly easy and he soon found his feet turning and striding purposefully back to the bull-pen. With every step he cursed himself a little more, the regrets of the past days burning up inside.

His arrival at the bull-pen was greeted with surprise. Unsurprising really, as he had left only a matter of minutes before and now knew himself to be the main suspect in a case close to the hearts of everyone involved. He stood in the centre of the room simply watching everyone's reactions and counting the seconds before Danny and Martin would arrive back, acting as though nothing had happened.

Within minutes the door behind him creaked open and the two entered appearing, on the surface, calm and collected but in reality as confused as everyone else. Jack turned to them, pointing in the direction of his office and then glanced towards Vivian, making sure that she got the message.

All obediently followed him, their hearts racing with fear and confusion. They stumbled into his office where they stood together, as if for protection. Jack paced the floor, his hands clammy with fear. 'I know what you're thinking' he began, his voice shaky yet authoritative. 'You think that I took Sam.' Vivian looked at Martin who in turn shared a glance with Danny. Surely this wasn't another dead end, another mess up?

'I didn't,' continued Jack. 'But I do know where she is. Well, kind of.'

The room was filled with an expectant silence. What on earth was going on?

Jack continued, knowing deep down that he was doing the right thing. He couldn't cope with the lies, the deception and the guilt any longer. 'Sam was heavily involved in the Simon Marshall case. You all know the one - except it was slightly deeper than any of us thought. I got a call from Washington nearly two weeks ago now, telling me that Mr Marshall was involved in some business in Iraq to do with the re-building and contracts and stuff. Basically I was told to stay out of it and that it wasn't our business anymore. In fact, I think the words were something more along the lines of 'Malone, if you know what's good for you, you and your team will forget that this ever happened. This is way above you, and believe me, you want to stay out of it. This is politics and you already have some unimpressed people that the investigation has even got this far. It ends now. If I hear that you've gone any further into this investigation after this phone-call or that the name Simon Marshall has been so much as mentioned, then believe me, it's your head that will be on the block.'

'So where does Sam fit into all this?' Martin questioned, his face illustrating his obvious confusion.

'As I ended the investigation late that afternoon, Sam was already on her way to Simon Marshall's house to speak to his wife. No-one's seen her since then.'

It was all that Vivian could do to hold a raging Martin back. 'WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ONLY TELLING US THIS NOW? YOU'VE KNOWN WHERE SAM IS AND NOT TOLD US? I THOUGHT SHE WAS YOUR FRIEND. I THOUGHT WE WERE YOUR FRIENDS…

Every word hit Jack like a punch to the stomach. He'd been expecting it and knew himself that he quite probably deserved every word that came his way but that did not make it easier.

Trying to calm down his colleague but at the same time justify his own actions, Jack spoke, attempting to convey his mixed emotions in just a few words. 'She is my friend, you are my friends and please don't think that I haven't been doing anything to help Sam. All the meetings, all the phone calls, they've all been me trying to get those damn bureaucrats in Washington to see sense. We can't do anything more than that at the moment. This is big money we're talking about here and the government needs it all to work out. I want to do more, of course I do, but for now we've just got to sit tight and see what happens.'

Martin kicked a table leg near where he was standing, trying not to let his simmering anger and frustration boil over. He was equally as surprised as the others when it was Danny who spoke up.

'We've been sitting tight for over a week now. This isn't about the government anymore. This isn't about following orders from on-high. I say that we get Sam out of there and deal with the consequences after that. We have no idea what Sam is going through, but I for sure don't want to wait to find out. We can end this now, we can help our friend. To hell with these bureaucrats, we've got loyalties that run far deeper than them. Would you really be able to sleep at night if anything were to happen to Sam now?'

Danny knew that he had struck a chord when the room fell silent, each person wrestling with their own conscience but knowing that he was right. True, they would probably all lose their jobs over this but that was definitely a better scenario than Sam losing her life, right? The only problem was how to achieve such a rescue.

Meanwhile, in a rare period of prolonged consciousness, Sam couldn't help but hear a conversation from what, she figured, could only be the room next door to hers. She recognised the voices and for an instant was filled with hope. They had found her! There were government officials next door surely negotiating her release. Man, they had taken their time. She was therefore surprised to find herself in the same situation just a few hours later with those next door having left and said their goodnights as though nothing had ever happened.


	6. I've Got You

Sorry that this part is a bit shorter than the rest. Only a couple more to go now! Please R&R! Thank you for all the replies so far, very much appreciated!

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'Alright everyone, this is it. This is the last chance for you to pull out. I'm not going to force anyone into doing this. This is your decision and one that only you can make. There's the door, no-one will think any less of you if you go through it now.' Jack's words almost echoed through the room, all that anyone could really hear was the sound of their own conscience, the sound of their own heart pounding in their chest. Needless to say, no-one went through the door.

'OK then. Here's what we do…' Jack continued, his immense presence filling the room with hope. 'Danny, Vivian, you're round the back. Martin and I will take the front. We're getting Sam, no more, no less. Got it?'

Everyone nodded. Nothing more needed to be said now. They'd been trained for this, now it was time to put that training to the test under more pressure than they'd ever been under before. They couldn't afford to mess up – not if they valued their jobs, their freedom, their lives…

The rain pounded the pavements outside, the streetlights illuminating each individual drop as it fell from the angry clouds above. In silence, both pairs walked casually yet carefully to their positions, all scared, and none admitting it. Taking a deep breath, Jack raised his finger to the doorbell, pressing it firmly. No-one answered. He tried again, the bell ringing out with great urgency. This time when no-one answered, the door was kicked to the ground, letting out at least some of the apprehension and frustration of the past days.

'FBI' shouted Martin, his eyes rapidly adjusting to the poorly lit hallway as they scanned the area. His hands clasped his weapon that followed his view. He flicked left and right, both he and Jack clearing rooms and areas as they went. This was the stage where they always said that the training kicked it, that it worked through the nerves, worked through the adrenaline rush. They were right, by the time that all four agents had cleared the downstairs area; they were up on the next floor without even thinking.

It was Martin whose eyes first fell on the closet. One of the brass door handles glimmered from the street lighting outside. Somehow Martin knew that this was it. This was when his worst fears would be confirmed, when his world would fall apart. For an instant he froze, his body refusing to confirm his fears. But then he heard a faint noise, no more than a slight tapping.

Instantly his feet covered the ground, within seconds the door was off its hinges and there she was, barely recognisable, but there and, more than that, showing signs of life.

'Sam, it's me Martin. Can you hear me?' he rushed to her side, assessing her situation as she mumbled to him. He had never heard a more beautiful mumble in all his life. 'The senator, he was, and the army major…. erm…. Major, erm, what's his name? They needed…they needed, god damn it, they needed something...' Sam's breathing became more and more rapid as she became more and more frustrated at what she deemed to be her own incompetence.

'It's ok. Don't worry, everything's ok,' Martin spoke gently, clasping Sam's hand in his. 'I've got you, it's ok.'

The next minutes were a complete blur. Sam was carried out of the house, much to her annoyance, even though her consciousness was unpredictable, her body weak and her limbs in no state for anything. It was all the others could do to hide their shock at the state that Sam was in. Considering the high rank of her captor, they had all presumed that she'd at least have been reasonably kept.

As she was helped into the ambulance that was waiting, Martin was still holding her hand, still speaking gentle comforts to her. 'I've got you,' he kept repeating. 'I've got you now.'

Jack looked on at the two, constantly checking for any sign of the normal inhabitants of the house returning. They'd got lucky with no-one being there and he knew it. Surely their luck couldn't last? But then his focus went back to Martin and Sam. Sam, _his_ Sam, Sam who had spent days going through an absolute hell that he surely could have put an end to, Sam who had fought like hell to stay alive because of him, Sam who he had now lost his chance with.

But somehow he could look at Martin and not be sad for missing his chance. He knew that Sam had found someone who finally deserved her, who wouldn't hurt her, who could make her happy. Even as the paramedics were doing whatever it was that they did, he could almost have sworn that he saw her smile. She was a fighter, would fight until the death if need be, and what she deserved was someone who would fight right there by her side. He couldn't offer that – Martin could.


	7. Moving Forwards

AUTHOR'S NOTE: OK, I know – it's been a ridiculously long time in coming but I hope that you like it. This is the last chapter as I want to turn my attention to other things, but I would LOVE to add to the reviews for this fic… please?

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A few days later, Sam was beginning to walk the walls of the hospital. Having never been the most patient of people, spending time as a hospital patient really didn't suit her. By day she would groan at the cringe-worthy day time television, annoy any doctor that passed with the usual question 'Can I go home yet?' and count down the seconds until Martin would come and visit.

At twenty past five on the dot every day, he would walk through the double doors, loosening his tie as he did so and greeting her with the usual words 'How you feeling?' To this she would roll her eyes and mutter something along the lines of 'Fine, absolutely fine, always fine. When the hell can I get out of here?' He would chuckle slightly and pull up a chair.

And then would be the time that Sam craved, the time when he would tell her about what had been going on all day, tell her about the latest case and possible leads and allow her to come up with suggestions and ideas. Her mind was as sharp as ever and Martin was simply unable to comprehend the difference between her staring lifelessly at the television screen before he entered and the chatty, bubbly Sam that emerged at merely the mention of work. It was ironic really, he thought, that the one thing that she really loved was the thing that had caused her to end up in such a state. What he didn't realise was that during these times, she was smiling because she was surrounded by the two things that she loved.

Neither of them mentioned their time apart and what had happened. It didn't seem appropriate and Martin figured that Sam would bring it up in her own time. But for days on end she didn't. Not until Jack paid a visit that was.

He came on the pretence of paper-work, but, although it did, indeed, have to be done, his eyes alone showed that he was desperate to see how Sam was doing. He couldn't help but care, as a friend and as a colleague but not, he assured himself, as anything else. But he heart ached as he saw her lying in a hospital bed, battered and bruised but, as ever, defiant. 'Hey' he said as he entered, initially somewhat uncomfortable in his position but, as ever, quickly adapting. Sam smiled, appreciating the company, but knowing that awkward questions were to come.

'How are you feeling?' he began with. 'Surprise, surprise,' thought Sam, restraining herself from the normal eye-roll and answering the usual exasperated 'Fine!' 'You know,' he continued, 'that I'm going to have to ask you a few questions, just to satisfy all those bureaucrats. Are you up to it?' Sam nodded, unsure whether or not she actually was but certainly not willing to admit any sign of weakness.

'Just take it gently, yeah? And tell me if you want to stop?'

Sam nodded, although she wasn't going to admit it, she appreciated the concern. She could already feel a light sweat on her palms and began to fidget uncomfortably with her fingers. Taking a deep breath, somehow the words all stumbled out.

'I was going back round to Simon Marshall's place, to try to talk to his girlfriend and to look over some stuff… I rang the bell and three blokes came to the door – two in suits and one in an army uniform… They were pretty angry, more so when I got out my badge. I said that I needed to go in; they said no, I went in anyway, went into the living room. There were maps all over the place and quite a lot more people. I saw the maps, Jack. I saw a suitcase of money and I saw Simon Marshall… I saw too much.'

Sam stopped, pausing for contemplation. 'It was my fault, you know. They gave me an opportunity to go, if I wouldn't say anything or whatever… I refused. A couple of them, the army general guy and one other got really, really mad, started lashing out and saying stuff… I don't remember much more, just waking up now and then in that small room on the second floor…'

She looked at Jack as if to ask, 'is that enough? Can I stop now?' and Jack smiled reassuringly as if to say yes.

'You know that we can't prosecute though, right? It's bigger than us, I messed it up… it was my fault that you were involved.' Jack paused, overwhelmed by guilt and suddenly unable to look Samantha in the eye. The next thing that he knew was that she had rested her hand on his.

'It's not your fault, Jack and don't try to give me any of the guilt stuff. I'm fine and everything is going to be fine. It's not worth you or anyone else beating themselves up over.'

For the first time in days, Jack felt as though he could breathe easier, like he had been rid of a huge burden from his shoulders. He looked up, his dark eyes meeting Sam's coffee brown eyes and it was as if some greater force was pulling him towards her. He couldn't stop it as he embraced her in a warm, friendly hug. It felt right, Sam thought, for them to be friends – nothing more and nothing less. She needed him more than she would ever like to admit, and yet somehow she couldn't feel for him anymore what she once had.

'Jack?' Sam asked as the two pulled apart.

'Yeah?' he questioned anxiously.

'You couldn't ask Martin to come in, could you?'

Jack nodded, while getting to his feet. Deep down, he knew that Martin and Sam were right for each other; it had just taken him a while to see it. And, for the first time, he was happy for them as well - happy because Sam was happy and happy because at last he could move on.

A few minutes later, Martin put his head around the door. The two made eye contact and couldn't help but smile. They were soon wrapped in each other's arms. Sam allowed her head to rest on Martin's shoulder and closed her eyes, secure in the knowledge that he was there.

Suddenly though, her head jerked back as she sensed an uneasiness in his actions and his mood. And it didn't take her long to work out what was going through his mind.

'You are NOT going to Washington to put the world to rights' she stated simply and firmly. 'I'm ok and there's nothing you can do about it all. I wouldn't want you to anyway…. '

Martin sat there, dumbfounded. How the heck had she known….?

'Promise me, Martin. Promise me that you'll just let it rest.'

He sighed, knowing that he really didn't have much choice and that it would be futile to even start arguing. And anyway, she was probably right. 'I promise,' he spoke softly, 'I promise if you'll promise me something as well.'

Sam looked at him somewhat suspiciously before picking up the glint in his eye. 'Promise you what?'

'Promise me that you will never scare me like this ever again and that you'll let me be here for you…because I want to be here for you…I want to always be here for you'

Sam grinned, trying to think of words to answer him, to let him know that that she felt the same way, that she'd let him be there for her if he'd let her do likewise. But her mind was too filled with love and painful memories to think of any words for the future. So instead, she just leaned forwards and allowed her lips to meet with those of a man who she could even consider life without.

FINITE


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